Franz f



(No Model.)

F. P. NICKEL. DIRECT ACTING ENGINE.

No. 451,132.' Patented Apr. 28, 1891.

FRANZ F. NICKEL, OF BROOKLYN, AS SIGNOR TO XVILLIAM A. PERRY AND CHARLESC. IVORTHINGTON, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

DIRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,132, dated April28, 1891.

Application filed February 4, 1889. Serial No. 298,554. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ F. NICKEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, countyof Kings, and State of NewYork, haveinvented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Direct-Acting Engines,fully described and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to that class of direct-acting engines in whichone or more compensating cylinders and pistons are employed which act inopposition to the main piston during the first part of the stroke and inconjunction therewith during the last part of the stroke, therebypermitting the steam to the main cylinder to be cut off after apart ofthe stroke has been made, the stroke being completed by the expansiveforce of the steam in the main cylinder aided by thegradually-increasing assistance offered by the compensating-piston 0rpistons. Examples of engines of this class are shown in United StatesLetters Patent Nos. 292,525, 309,676,332,857, and 341,534.

One feature of the present invention relates particularly to a system ofconnections by which the power developed by the compensating piston iscommunicated to the main piston-rod of the engine. In the engines ofthis class as heretofore operated the pressure of the motor-fluid uponthe piston or pistons of the compensating-cylinder or cylinders has beenuniform or practically uniform throughout the entire stroke of saidpiston or pistons in both directions, and from this it has resulted thatthe decrease and increase in the resistance and assistance offered tothe main piston of the engine during the different parts of its strokehas been due entirely to the construction and arrangement of theconnections through which the power developed by the compensating pistonor pistons was transmitted to the main piston-rod. In practice, however,it is sometimes desirable that the pressure of the motor-fluid upon thecompensating piston or pistons should be varied during different partsof its or their stroke in order to produce the best propulsive effect onthe engine. Another feature of the present invention relates to a meansby which this result can be accomplished.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly insection, of so much of an ordinary direct-acting pumping-engine as isnecessary to illustrate the application of the present inventionthereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Referring to said figures, it is to be understood that A represents aportion of the water end or pump proper of the engine, a being thesuction-main. The piston-rod b of the engine is extended and passesthrough the rear end of the water-cylinder, and is provided with a head0, having bearings for a pair of arms d, the opposite ends of which restin similar bearings formed in a pair of arms f, extending fromrock-shafts g, mounted in bearings secured to the end of the pump. Theshafts g are provided with arms h, which extend in opposite directions,and are connected by a link 75 in such manner that the two arms f moveto and from each other simultaneously and that any movement imparted toone of the shafts g is communicated equally to the other. One of theshafts g (the upper one as shown in the present case) is provided withan arm m, which is connected by a link a with the piston-rod o of acompensating cylinder B, which is supplied through an induction-pipe pwith a motorflnid, the tendency of which is to constantly force thepiston q .of the cylinder downward. The motor-fluid which acts upon thepiston q may, as explained in the prior Letters Patent before referredto, be steam or air, or maybe a liquid, such fluid being supplied underproper pressure in any suitable manneras, for example, in any of theways described in said Letters Patent.

T he operation of the mechanism as thus far described is as follows:Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in the drawings, and thatthe engine is about to commenceits stroke from left to right, during thefirst part 9 of the stroke the power developed in the main steamcylinder or cylinders (not shown) will be resisted by the load upon theengine, and

also by the pressure of the motor-fluid acting upon the piston g, whichwill be communi cated to the main piston-rod Z) through the connectionswhich have been described. This opposition developed by thecompensatingpiston will,however, owing to the constantlychangi'ng angleof the arms (I, which form in effect a toggle-lever, gradually decreaseuntil the engine has made one-half its stroke, at which point'the arms(1 will be brought into line, and thus offer no opposition to thepiston-rod Z). As the engine proceeds upon its stroke the operation willbe reversed, and the pressure upon the compensating-piston will offer agradually-increasing assistance to the engine. Upon the return-stroke ofthe engine the operation will be the same. By this means it becomespossible to cut off the admission of steam to the main cylinder orcylinders of the engine after a part of the stroke has been completedand allow the remainder of the stroke to be made by the expansive forceof the same, aided by the power developed by the compensating-piston.

In the operation which has been described it will be observed thatduring the first part of the stroke of the engine the compensatingpistonq is raised in the cylinder B, thereby tending to expel the motor-fluidfrom the cylinder, while during the last part of the stroke of theengine the motor-fluid 're-enters the cylinder, moving the compensatingpiston downward. If the pressure of the motor-fluid which acts upon thepiston q is uniform, the decrease and increase of the resistance andassistance of the compensatingpiston to the eng ne during differentparts of the stroke of the engine will be only such as is due to thechange in the angle of the arms cl or connections through which thepiston q acts upon the main piston-rod. It is, however, sometimesdesirable that the resistance and assistance offered by the piston qshould vary to a greater extent or in a different manner from thevariation produced by the angle of the arms d, and to accomplish this itis desirable that the pressure of the motor-fluid upon the piston (1should be varied during different parts of the stroke of the piston.This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Two of the simplest waysof effecting this result are, however, illustrated in the present case.In this organization it will be assumed that the motor-fluid which actsupon the piston q is air or other elastic gas. The pipe 1), instead ofbeing permanently open to allow the motor-fluid to flow freely into andout of the cylinder above the piston q, is provided with a valve 0',which is controlled by an ordinary diaphragm-regulator s, the diaphragmof which is exposed to the pressure of the motor-fluid in the cylinder Band is connected with the valve 7" in the usual manner, so as tomaintain the valve closed and prevent the entrance or escape of themotorfluid to or from the cylinder B so long as the pressure in thecylinder does not fall below the minimum for which the regulator isadjusted. As soon, however, as the pressure within the cylinder B fallsbelow the minimum for which the regulator is adjusted,the regulator willoperate to open the valve 7 and permit the motor-fluid to enter thecylinder from the source of supply until the pressure is restored to thepro-per point, when the valve will be again closed. From this it will beseen that as the piston q is moved upward during the first part of thestroke of the engine the motor-fluidin the cylinder abovethe pistoninstead of being forced out of the cylinder, and thereby offeringuniform or practically uniform resistance to the piston, is confined inthe cylinder, and is consequently compressed by the piston, therebyoffering a gradually inexerting a grad ually-decreasingpressure upon 7the piston. The variations in the effective pressure of the motor-fluidupon the piston (1 can be still further increased by so forming thelower end of the eylinderB that a partial vacuum will be formed thereinupon the upward movement of the piston, thus gradually decreasing thepressure upon the under side of the piston as it ascends and increasingthe pressure as it descends. In some cases this latter means may be allthat will be neces sary to accomplish the desired variation in theeffective pressure of the motor-fluid acting upon the piston (1 duringthe different parts of its stroke, and in such case the motor-fluid maybe allowed to circulate freely into and out of the upper end of thecylinder.

For the purpose of producing the partial vacuum in the lower end of thecylinder as the piston q ascends, the lower end of the cylinderisprovided with apipe 2, having a checkvalve c, which is so arranged as toallow the air to pass freely out of the cylinder upon the descent of thepiston, but to prevent the entrance of air into the cylinder as thepiston ascends. The valve will preferably be provided with means bywhich it can be raised and held permanently away from its seat, so as topermit the air to flow freely into and out of the lower end ofthe.cylinderas the piston ascends and descends when it is not desired toutilize the partial vacuum in the lower end of the cylinder.

What I claim is 1. Theeombination, with the main piston- I V V Icylinder B, having a piston acting to oppose the movement of the arms ffrom each other, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the direct-acting engine, of a compensatingcylinder having a piston which acts in opposition to the movement of thepiston of the engine during one part of the stroke and in conjunctiontherewith during another part of the stroke, the motor-fluid beingadmitted to the compensating cylinder on one side of the piston andconfined therein during the return-stroke of said piston, and acheck-valve located on the opposite side of the piston, openingoutwardly to allow the air to pass freely out of the cylinder as thepiston moves toward the checkvalve, but to prevent the entrance of airon the return-stroke, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a direct-acting engine, of a compensatingcylinder having a piston which acts in opposition'to the movement of thepiston of the engine during one part of the stroke and in conjunctiontherewith during another part of the stroke, the motor-fluid beingadmitted to the compensatlng cylinder on one side of its piston only,and means for controlling the motor-fiuid,whereby the pressure upon thepiston is varied at different points of the stroke, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with a direct-acting engine, of a compensatingcylinder having a piston which acts in opposition to the movement of thepiston of the engine during one part of the stroke and in conjunctiontherewith during another part of the stroke, the motor-fluid beingadmitted to the compensating cylinder on one side of its piston only andcontrolled to exert a gradually-decreasing force on the piston duringone stroke of said piston and a gradually-increasing force during thereturnstroke, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a direct-acting engine, of a compensatingcylinder having a piston which acts in opposition to the movement of thepiston of the engine during one part of the stroke and in conjunctiontherewith during another part of the stroke, and

means for controlling the motor-fluid of the compensating cylinder,whereby a graduallydecreasing force is exerted by the motor-fluid uponthe piston of the compensating cylinder during one stroke of said pistonand a gradually-increasing force during the returnstroke, substantiallyas described,

.6. The combination, with a direct-acting engine, of a compensatingcylinder having a piston which acts in opposition to the movement of thepiston of the engine during one part of the stroke and in conjunctiontherewith during another part of the stroke, and means for confining themotor-fluid in said compensating cylinder, so as to be permitted toexpand during one stroke of its piston and compressed by said pistonduring the returnstroke, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a direct-acting engine, of a compensatingcylinder having a piston which acts in opposition to the movement of theengine during one part of the stroke and in conjunction therewith duringanother part of the stroke, the motor-fluid being admitted to thecompensating cylinder on one side of its piston only, avalve controllingthe motor-fluid supply, and a regulator controlled by the pressure inthe cylinder to normally close the valve to confine the motorfluid inthe cylinder, but operated to open and admit the motor-fluid when thepressure falls below the point desired, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANZ F. NICKEL.

Witnesses:

B. W. PIERSON, J. F. HOLLOWAY.

